A chronic, recurrent illness such as rheumatoid arthritis can be managed through a combination of medication, stress reduction, and close interaction with a doctor who is flexible in employing different treatments as needed over time. The same is true of depression.

Depressed individuals and their families are often dismayed when their recoveries aren’t instantaneous or permanent, but it’s more reasonable, just as with rheumatoid arthritis, to expect a slow recovery period with occasional setbacks. Most people understand that a heart attack requires a period of rest and recovery, but we also know that a great many sufferers recover fully; this analogy is helpful in understanding depression as well. (36)

 

This passage was taken from When a Parent is Depressed, a book written for families facing depression. When a Parent is Depressed is published by Little, Brown, and Company and can be purchased at your local bookstore, through the publisher’s website (www.twbookmark.com), or at any major online book retailer.